There is no time like the present ...

"The hour of living rightly is like the rustic who waits for the river to dry before crossing."

As a high school student that was trying to balance academics, athletics, part-time work and a social life (debatable), I thought I was busy. As a varsity-athlete, working part-time, volunteering as a coach and in a committed relationship, I thought I was busy. Working as a full-time teacher, coaching multiple sports and being married, I thought I was busy. Then came one child. And a second …

When I reflect on my time as a student, I realize I had SO much free-time. I was just very poor at managing it. When we have less time, we become better at prioritizing and finding ways to get everything done; we appreciate any down-time and take advantage of it; we start to remove trivial things from the equation of life; we reduce the number of social interactions, but strengthen the ones that remain; and, we find ways to become more efficient through multi-tasking, delegating and eliminating distractions. We adapt.

The reality is that we are all busy.

I often hear people say that they don’t have enough time to be physically active. These individuals are making the fatal choice to not prioritize it in their lives. The quickest way to burnout is to take the “nose to the grindstone” approach to working. And, I understand that this can be tough for many of us to understand -- much of our success can be attributed to our work ethic. What we fail to understand is that we will be less efficient in the long-run and are more likely to suffer from physical and mental illness (= burnout). Both our work and health will be compromised.

Burning the candle at both ends is a sure-fire way to get burnt.

Ironically, accessing resources has never been easier. Whether it's yoga, meditation, Zumba, resistance training, calisthenics, or aerobic fitness there are tons of free resources. You can exercise at any point in time from anywhere with little to no equipment. If you are willing to spend the equivalent of a couple cups of coffee, your library of resources can expand exponentially, with a number of programs offering individualized plans that track your progress and provide feedback.

Lift by Lifeworks (Morneau Shepell) offers free customized

workouts and videos for Western employees.

Our society is not proactive. The majority of our society does not react until the “crap hits the fan”. Even doctors’ recommendations aren’t enough to get many of us to exercise, eat healthier, or seek counselling. We wait until we fall gravely ill or someone close to us succumbs to a similar fate. By that time, the “road to recovery” is much longer and more daunting.

Despite what the media wants us to think,

there is no magic pill for optimal health.

There are so many barriers to physical activity, but we are in a unique situation with the quarantine. Many of us will look back at this time and wish we would have done more. Please take the extra time being afforded to us to focus on your personal wellness. Not only does it create accountability, but you can inspire your family members to be healthier by sharing your journey.

Live Well. Stay Well.